My cat has urinary issues. What is FLUTD or feline urologic syndrome?

FLUTD and FUS are describing the same set of symptoms. They used to call it FUS, but have changed the name over the years to try to better describe the syndrome. I have included a handout below with more information. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=&A=611&SourceID= I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this with Fred. Since there is blood in her urine, I would first continue to look for medical causes of blood in the urine if she doesn't have a history of urinary tract problems. Here is more information on FLUTD. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=&A=611&SourceID= From that handout, in older cats (over 10 years old), here is the distribution of why they have FLUTD... 50% will have true urinary tract infections. 10% will have bladder stones. 17% will have a combination of infection and bladder stone. 7% will have urethral blockage. 3% will have urinary tract cancer. 5% will not have a cause that can be determined despite extensive testing. 66% will be in some stage of kidney failure. 5% will have urinary incontinence. So, my first recommendation if there is still blood in Fred's urine is to have your vet run a urine culture. That requires the urine to be sent to the lab to see if they can grow any bacteria from the urine. This is sometimes needed if the bacteria does not respond as expected to antibiotics. If that is negative, then I would recommend an abdominal ultrasound to evaluate the kidneys and bladder for any abnormalities (including stones that don't show up on x-rays). I would not consider blood in the urine to be idiopathic until I have done all that testing. Then, I would consider treating Fred for Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC). http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=&A=612&SourceID= Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Fred feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

You are correct that FLUTD is non-infectious. FLUTD is a collection of diseases that all involve the urinary tract. Some have discrete causes that we can identify, but many do not. There is a similar condition in women called Interstitial Cystitis that also does not a definitive cause identified yet. I have attached a couple of links below which may provide you with more information. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=&A=611&SourceID= https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=612 I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using PetCoach.

Urinary issues are quite common in cats. Different issues can include urinary tract infections, crystals in the urine, bladder stones, feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) that is often related to stress, among many other conditions. As with most health-related issues, prevention is the name of the game. Offer your cat ample quantities of water to assure that they are drinking appropriate volumes. Some cats prefer running water sources, so a water fountain designed for cats may be helpful. Water can also be mixed in with canned foods or added to dry food. Monitoring your cat at home for changes is another critical step. Always be sure that your cat is using the litter box appropriately by urinating normal volumes several times per day and is not straining excessively in the box. Too much or too little urine volume can indicate changes that warrant veterinary attention, as can straining to urinate, vocalizing while urinating, or blood in the urine. If a cat has been previously diagnosed with bladder stones or crystals, your veterinarian may recommend a prescription diet to regulate the pH of the urine and mineral content of the diet to prevent the recurrence of these issues. Cats with previously diagnosed FLUTD may also benefit from calming pheromone collars or diffusers to keep their stress levels at bay.

A true urinary infection with bacteria is much less common in cats then dogs, and less common in males then females. Unless there is a disease process predisposing to infection like diabetes or kidney disease. I would not expect a link between allergies and urinary issues unless as you say it is stress related. There is a syndrome in cats (many names) called feline lower urinary tract disorder (FLUTD). Basically it causes symptoms of a uti but there is no infection. In can be more problematic in males. It could be triggered by stress (changes in the house, change in litter, new food, not enough litterboxes, etc.). The Ohio State University has a good web site for indoor cat owners called the indoor pet initiative. There are other causes of urinary tract issues as well but it would be quite odd for both your kids to be affected. It is very important to make sure cats are able to urinate though because obstruction of the urinary tract can occur, more common in males, and this is an emergency if this happens. I hope this helps and thank you for using PetCaoch!

This is a frustrating disease to deal with. You can try to add Feliway diffusers or plugs in to help with stress in her environment and add more litter boxes. Some times you have to change the type of litter or litter box because some have a preference. They always make fountains to recycle their water to encourage more water intake. There are several different types of urinary food to help with infections, sediment and crystals, and stress that may help. I would monitor her a urinalysis frequently to make sure there is no infection or sudden changes.

Hello, sorry to hear about Felix. This could be a one time accident, however it could be an early sign of FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease) which may also be referred to as FIC (Feline idiopathic cystitis). Other causes of abnormal urinations include bladder stones, urinary tract infections, and crystals in the urine. If you note any more of these behavior, it will be beneficial to have Felix examined sooner rather than later. Some cats may develop severe inflammation of their bladder which can lead to an obstruction. In the interim, you should add wet food to his diet and ensure he has readily access to copious amounts of water. Hope this helps and best of luck.